Portable apparatus for separation of the constituents of gaseous mixtures



W. DE N Nl S PORTABLE APPARATUS Nov. 28, 1944.

* FOR SEPARATION OF THE CONSTITUENTS oF GAsEoUs MIXTURES Filed Dec. 21, 1942 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 2 8, v1944 u or' THE coNsTI'rUENTsoF GASEOUS Mix- TURES Wolcott Dennis, Darien conn., assigner to an qReduction Company, Incorporated, New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York l Application Decemberl,A 1942, Serial No. 469,725

mixtures by .liquefaction and rectification. While the apparatus is designed specically for thefloor of a truck, trailer or car, or a portable 1 claim. (ci. e1-10s) 1 This invention relates to portable4 apparatus for separation of the constituents of gaseous baseoi any character. yThe column 6 is4 pro-'- vided on opposite sides thereof with segments 1 having arcuate surfaces 8 which may be mounted, if desired, `upon a guiding track 9 sethe recovery of oxygen and nitrogen from at- 5 cured to the platform 5. The segments 'I are mospheric air, it may be employed similarly with secured by bolting or otherwise to the column units, intended for the recovery of the constitu-l so thatrthe centers of radius Ill of the arcuate ents-of other gaseous mixtures. surfaces- 8 are approximately at the center of Oxygen and nitrogen are recovered from atgravity of the column. Thus the column may mospheric air .by well Vknown methods of liquelo roll on the arcuate surfaces 8 from the upright faction and rectiiication. The operation is conoperating position as shown to the -Ihorizontal V ducted usually in large stationary units, and. position indicated'in dotted lines on Fig. 1 .of the products are transported in steel cylinders the drawing. In this position, the column rests under considerable pressure. Recently there has on a. cradle II secured to the platform 5. The

, been an urgent demand for smaller units and l5 end of the-platform is cut away as at' to pro-- p particularly for portable apparatus permitting vide a space'at least as wide as the column to' recovery ofthe desiredgases at or near the point Apermit swinging ofthe column from upright to where they are to be used. By employing@l porthorizontal position and Avice versa.

. able unit, the necessity for Vcompressing the 'I'he details of internal construction of the co1,-

products into cylinders and the transportation 20 umn formno part of the 'present invention. thereof can be avoided. There are several types oiliquefaction and rec- It is the object of the present .invention to tincation columns which are available for the provide a simple and practicable structure which purpose 'of the invention. Such columns require permits the transportation of a liquefaction and van inlet for the gas which is to under separarectification column with its auxiliary .equipment 25 tion and outlets for` theV separation products. to any place where it may be put into operation Thus, air under pressure is introduced at thel readily to supply the desired gases. inlet, |and oxygen and nitrogen are withdrawn` Other objects and advantages of the invention i 4at the outlets. 'I'he column 6 is provided, therewill be apparent as it is better understood by reffore, with an inlet I2 and with outlets yI3 and I4 'erence to the following specincation and the ac- 30. arranged at the sides thereof. The inlet I2 is companying drawing, in which` connected by a flexible pipe I5 with a pipe I6 Fig. 1 is a side elevationjoi* the apparatus em.- which is in turn connected to the source of air bodying the inventiomvand" YJ or other gaseous mixture under pressure. Simi Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. y larly-the outlets I3V and Il-are connected by ilex- A'major diiiiculty in' the transportation of 'a 35 ible pipes l1 and I8 with Lpipes Wand 2li which liquefaction and rectification column depends deliver the products. When the column is rolled upon fthe fact thatan effective column must to its horizontal position, thel flexible pipes I5, l have substantial height, even in relatively small I1 and Illiassume positions similar to the posiunits. A practical column will be at ,leastnine tion indicated in dotted lines on Fig'. 1 of the or ten4 feet high, and when' mounted upon a 4,0y drawing.- The ilexible pipe I5 being connected truck or other transportation vehicle, the colto the connection I2 and tothe relatively xed umn'will extend beyond the rmaximum height pipe I6, and the exible pipes I 1 and I8 being permissible in view of underpassesand similar4 connected to-the connections I3 and Il and 'to' obstructions in existing roads. `'.i'l'iepresent in- Y the relatively ilxed pipesland-20 adjacent the vention obviates thisV dilculty by mounting the 45 points of tangency between the arcuate surfaces column so that .itl may be moved readily from p and the portions of the platform on which they its upright operating 'position to a horiroll, A when the arcuate surfacesare at their rezontal position for Y transportation 'without` ,i spective limits of travel, the column 6 may b e disengaging connections with other parts of swung from upright to horizontal position on the the equipment such as the compressor, 50 platform, or-vice versa, to place it in position for.`

interchangers` and dryers which arel normally operation without disengaging the connections.

.- associatedv with liquefactioncolumns. f Because of the arrangement, a columnweighing Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates a' plat- 2:000 to 3,000pounds can be handled easily by form adapted for transportation which may be one man. c i

56 The auxiliary equipment, such'as compressors,

umn, -supporting segments having arcuate surfaces resting on the platform and secured at opposite sides to the column with the center of radius of the arcuate surfaces approximately at the center ofv gravity of the column, flexible pipes for thef gases entering and leaving the column.

, connections connecting said flexible pipes with Various changes maybe made in the form 10 andconstruction ofthe apparatus without departing from theinvention or sacricing the advantages thereof.

I claim: y In a portable apparatus for separation-of the constituents of gaseous vmixtures by liquefa'ction, the combination of a platform adaptedkfor the mounting of a complete liquefaction unit including a rockable liquefaction and rectification' colthe column, `and other connections adapted t0 lconnect lti'xe'ilexible pipes to iixed pipes on the platform connected to other parts of the liquefaction vunit, the flexible pipes being oi such length and the connections being so positioned that the arcuate surfaces may rollon the platform to turn the column from upright to horizontal position onthe platform'and fom horizontal position on tiie platform to upright operating position without dlsengaging the connections.

WODCO'l'I DENNIS. 

